Aug.12 (GMM) Ferrari should have taken a punt on promoting a young driver to replace the injured Felipe Massa.

That is the belief of Alex Zanardi, a former Italian formula one driver who was most successful in the American CART series in the late 90s.

42-year-old Zanardi, who lost his legs in a 2001 Champ Car crash and now competes in the World Touring Car Series, told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he thinks Michael Schumacher's abortive decision to replace Massa was "made more with the heart than with the head".

"He is a guy with great talent but his racing sunset happened a few years ago," Zanardi, who last raced in F1 with Williams in 1999, said.

"On the other hand taking a young guy from GP2 would have been the most logical choice," he added.

To Italy's La Stampa, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said: "I prefer the champion, even if matured, to the mediocre driver, even if he's young."

Maranello based Ferrari has given Massa's seat for now to long serving tester Luca Badoer, who at 38 will be the oldest driver on the Valencia grid.

Triple world champion and commentator Niki Lauda told Bild newspaper: "Whoever is in that car is going to be at least half a second slower than Michael would have been."